1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices and systems for cleaning toilet bowls and other type surfaces having complex curves and which are generally unsanitary or unsafe to touch.
2. Prior Art
There are many devices known for cleaning surfaces, and in particular toilet bowls. Generally these surfaces are unsanitary and difficult to reach. Often special cleaning chemicals are required to clean such surfaces, e.g., soaps, disinfectants, etc. It is thus undesirable for persons to touch these chemicals and/or touch the surfaces being cleaned.
Applicant is aware of the following US Patents which may be considered relevant to the invention described herein:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,913 to Brown describes a tool for contacting a surface with a treating material without direct personal contact of either the surface treated or the treating material. The tool comprises a hollow cylindrical sleeve containing a spring-biased, expandable claw which, upon manual operation of a plunger attached to the claw, grasps, holds and releases the treating material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,243 to Federico et al describes a toilet cleaning device. The device is a plastic tool with a handle and trigger at one end and a pair of jaws (one of which is moveable) at the other end. The jaws are inserted into a biodegradable paper cleaning pad filled with cleaning/disinfectant and/or deodorant materials. The lower jaw is moveable by way of a trigger near the handle. When depressed the trigger compresses a lock spring and moves an actuator rod down the barrel which operates a hinge to open the jaws. The open jaws can surround a cleaning pad and upon the release of the trigger the coil operating spring decompresses and moves the actuator rod back toward the handle locking the jaws over the center tab of the cleaning pad. The device has a 15-degree bend in the barrel to facilitate cleaning toilet bowls. The soiled and used cleaning pad is disposed of by pointing the tools toward the toilet bowl and squeezing the trigger which causes the jaws to open and permits the used cleaning pad to drop into the toilet bowl to be flushed away.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,013 to Genovese, Jr. describes a disposable toilet seat wipe apparatus that includes a pre-moistened, cleansing pad within a carrying container in coupling relationship with a plunger construction extending outwardly from one of the container ends. The opposite end of the container is configured to xe2x80x9cblossomxe2x80x9d the cleansing pad out of the container as the plunger is actuated inwardly. The plunger and container then serve as a handle for the apparatus in wiping the seat with the premoistened pad so deployed. A series of protrusions are also provided within the container to prevent the cleansing pad from coming loose from the handle during manipulation of the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,634 to Weihrauch describes a tool for cleaning or treating surfaces. The tool has a holder and a deformable disposable pad interchangeably gripped by it. The holder includes a sleeve constructed as a stick or grip and a sliding part guided thereon with a handle on one end projecting over the sleeve. Grippers, which can be opened and closed, are at the other end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,222 to Rohde et at describes an apparatus for storing and individually dispensing coffee machine filters. The apparatus is of cylindrical construction with a resilient dispensing type applicator insertable in the cylinder to permit a coffee filter to be removed. A bottom, upwardly protruding base member is provided in the cylindrical interior to contact the reverse side of a stack of coffee machine filters. The apparatus has a manually operable applicator with a plurality of spring arms to compress against the stack of coffee filters while frictionally engaging the upwardmost filter of said filters. The applicator has extension arms with curved end portions for guiding the arms upon the surface of the upwardmost coffee filter and further has the coarse, tacky interior surface for frictionally engaging upon the upward surface of the filters.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,500 to Paolantonio describes a mop for cleaning floors adapted to employ paper towels from dispensing rolls, as swabs, without necessity for attachment, and adapted to pick up the towels after use, for disposal, without contact by the human hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,947,564 to Winther describes a mechanics"" tool having a spring clip for picking up and inspecting parts in inaccessible places.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,625 to Ponsell describes a handle with an automatic grip for holding specially prepared pads of steel wool for scrubbing pots and pans.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,320,967 to Dunkelberger describes a flexible mechanical finger gripping device.
It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive device for cleaning toilet bowl surfaces and other difficult to reach surfaces with a flat disposable pad containing a cleanser and/or disinfectant or other type chemical thereon.
It is an object of this invention to provide a combination cleaning pad dispenser, cleaning pads and toilet rim and seat cleaner that coacts to provide a system that uses disposable pads which do not have to be handled by the person cleaning the toilet bowl and can be conveniently used and then disposed of.
All of the foregoing objects are achieved by the disposable cleaning pad dispenser system of this invention. The system comprises a pad dispenser having an elongated member with a chamber therein. The chamber is surrounded by side walls and has an open top that optionally has a closure.
A plurality of disposable cleaning pads are stacked one upon the other to form an elongated column. The column is of a size and shape that fits through the open top and fits within the chamber of the pad dispenser. The sides of the so formed column may slidably engage the side walls of the chamber.
The system further comprises a cleaning wand having a near end and a distal end. The wand comprises a hollow elongated member having a near end and a distal end and an elongated opening therethrough to thereby form an open near end and an open distal end, e.g., a hollow cylindrical member. An end plate is mounted to the open distal end, the end plate being substantially the same size and shape as the disposable cleaning pad, and slidably engageable with the side walls of the chamber of the dispenser. The wand further comprises a rod having a near end and distal end slidably mounted within the cylindrical member.
The wand has a spring biased piston attached to the near end of the rod. The piston that is slidably mounted within the open near end of the cylindrical member. The rod has a plurality of fingers for gripping a cleaning pad attached to the distal end thereof. When the piston is depressed, the fingers slidably extend from the distal end of the hollow cylindrical member to project below the end plate. When the piston member is released and there is the spring biased return of the piston to its original position, the fingers slidably retract into the distal end of the hollow cylindrical member. The fingers are spring biased to open when extended from the distal end of the cylindrical member.
Thus, when the distal end of the wand is placed through the open top of the pad dispenser, the end plate slidably engages the side walls. When the piston is depressed, the fingers extend from the distal end of the cylindrical member and below the end plate. The fingers are then placed against the top most cleaning pad and the piston released. The fingers then close to grip the cleaning pad and maintain the pad substantially flat and coextensive against the bottom of the support plate. The pad is then used to clean, for example, toilet surfaces.